Wake Up Sleepy-Joe

Wake up Sleepy-Joe. It’s time to crawl out of bed. 

I know you’ve been snoozing the alarm for the last few months. It’s alright. I’m not angry, Joe, I promise. No harm no foul. I’m not messing around anymore though, Joe, it’s time for you to wake up. 

Nobody likes getting out of bed. It’s the worst part of the day. But the horrible period between when you should get up and when you need to get up is over, Joe. You need to get up, and you need to do it now. 

The School Bus is only fifteen minutes away, Joe! I know you think you can wait until it arrives to pull on your jeans and scamper down the stairs and out the door, but you have to get ready first, Joe. You need to shower and brush your teeth, I can smell you from here. Get some breakfast in you whilst you’re at it – you’ve got a big day ahead. You haven’t packed your homework either, have you Joe? Come on! I know you did it. Why not show them? I think you should wear a shirt and tie as well today, Joe. No jeans. You need to look sharp. You need to be sharp. I’m serious Joe, it’s time to get up. 

Look, I know you don’t want to go and see Principal Washington. I know it’s scary, and I know what Donnie’s like – they had bullies in my day too, Joe. I know you just want this whole saga to be over, and soon it will be. Soon you will be able to come out the other side and never worry about Donnie ever again Joe. But only if you wake up first, sleepy-head.

I’m not saying today will be easy. Important days never are. I know they’ll say mean things about you, Joe, no matter what you say or do, but that’s just the way with these kids! You need to go and show them what you’re made of, otherwise they’ll never let you forget it! Even if Donnie gets expelled, if you don’t stand up and show them first Joe, you’ll always just be the kid he beat up. Because they’ll be talking about him forever, Joe. That’s just how it goes with some people. You’re more than Donnie says you are, Joe! I know you are! Go and show Principal Washington and all of Donnie’s disciples what you’re made of.

Because if you don’t Joe, if you don’t get up and show them right now, the rest of your time at school will be tarnished. I promise: you might win, but they’ll never let you live it down. Think about Barry! He stood up to them! He ignored all the mean things people were saying about him, Joe, and look where it got him! I know how much you admire Barry, so go follow in his footsteps! 

For whether you like it or not Joe, your legacy has already begun. You’ve got such high hopes, and if you’re ever to earn the respect you desire, it’s got to start right now,Joe. Not because you need to wake up to be successful, but because if you want the victory you envision, you cannot just let Donnie lose. It might seem as though you win that way as well Joe, but any sense of triumph would be fleeting. If you let Donnie losing define your success, yours will turn to a loss as well, Joe, soon enough.

So wake up Sleepy-Joe. It’s time.